Fastening device for screen plates



April 1938. p. M. BLACKBURN 2,114,329

FASTENING DEVICE FOR SCREEN PLATES Filed Marbh a, 1936 s Sheets-Sheet 1 D. M. BLACKBURN FASTENING DEVICE FOR SCREEN PLATES April 19, 1938.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 3, 1936 WWII) "WWW (19 7% 1mm I INVENTOR flame! M. B/adarn/ BY i 7 @TORNEt April 1938- D. M. BLACKBURN 2,114,329

FASTENING DEVICE FOR SCREEN PLATES Filed March 3, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IIIUW K m N N m m m m 54 a4 if, M 14 15 J 15 z I -1g 15 29 I 'INVENTOR Jam 1K Blur/ 61010 flllflz /4.,' ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FASTENING DEVICE FOR SCREEN PLATES Application March 3, 1936, Serial No. 66,809

10 Claims.

This invention relates to shaking and vibrating screens, and more particularly relates to a device for fastening the screen plates in place on the screen frames.

Heretofore it has been customary to bolt the screen plates to the frames. This method requires considerable time, and when there is more than one deck the operation is particularly tedious, diiiicult and slow, since it requires a person to crawl between the decks, which usually have only a very narrow space, about twelve inches deep, between them. Thus when plates are applied or changed, not only is considerable labor and time required, but there is also considerable loss of operating time of the screen and stoppage of production.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a device whereby the screen plates may be fastened to and unfastened from the screen frames of either single-deck or multiple-deck screens quickly, conveniently, and expeditiously, conserving time and labor and increasing the operating time and production of the machine, and whereby the screen plates are fastened and held in place firmly, positively, and effectively; and another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described which is simple, durable, sturdy, and inexpensive in construction, convenient to apply, and suitable for heavy screen plates as well as for light plates; and to provide a fastening device of the character described which may be manipulated by a person outside of the screen and which does not require a person to crawl between the decks of a multiple-deck screen.

Other objects of this invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In accordance with this invention the fastening device includes a resilient rod or bar engageable at one end with the screen plate from below and then to be flexed over a saddle or fulcrum and to have its other end engaged in a keeper therefor so that the bar will be maintained under resilient flexure which presses and holds the screen plate firmly and tightly down on the screen frame; the rod being preferably applicable and detachable by a person standing outside of the screen frame. Means may also be provided for placing and locking the device under additional tension.

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and illustrating certain possible embodiments of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View, partly fragmentary and partly in section, of a screen frame, screen plates thereon, and fastening devices embodying my invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a portion of the assembly, as viewed from below;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, and is taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is another sectional view, and is taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is another sectional view, showing a possible modification, and is taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a plan view, partly fragmentary, of a modification, as viewed from underneath;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a portion of the modified assembly, and is taken on the line of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the fastening of a heavy screen plate; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view, and is taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the flexible fastening bar or rod l9 has one end H curved, and in one form this curved end is forked, providing two branches-or arms I2 and I3, each ending in a hook I 4, 15 for connecting the rod to one or two screen plates; ,and in another form (Figs. 5 and 6) this end H not branching and ends in a single hook it for connecting the rod to a screen plate.

When the screen plates, such as IT, to be fastened by means of my device are of comparatively light metal, wire mesh or other material that is not sturdy to a high degree, I preferably mount each plate on a reenforcing and stiffening frame, which may comprise side angles 18 and I9, end angles 20 and 2|, and cross angles 22, welded to or otherwise aflixed to the under surface of the plate H. The side angles 18 and I9 rest on the spreader angles 23 which extend between and are securely attached to the side rails 24 and 25 of the screen frame.

Eyes, comprising angle irons having one arm 26, welded or otherwise secured to one or more of the parts of the reenforcing and stiffening frame, such as the side members [8 and I9, and having an eye 21 in the other arm 28, are provided so that a hook, such as M, I5, or it, of a fastening rod H] can be engaged in the eye and thus the rod engaged with the screen plate 17.

Intermediate its ends the fastening rod bears upwardly against the apex of a V-shaped saddle or chair 29, welded or otherwise secured to a spreader angle 23 of the screen frame, and the outer end 30 of rod 10 is anchored in notch 3|, open at the side, of a keeper piece 32 secured to an end of the spreader angle 23. Rod I0 is required to be flexed over saddle 29 to have its end 30 engaged in keeper 32 so that the rod pulls the screen plate I! down on the screen frame with strong constant resilient force and thus maintains the plate fastened in place on the frame.

Preferably the end 30 of rod I0 is threaded and protrudes through the keeper 32 so that by screwing up a nut 33 on the rod end 30 against the keeper 32 the rod may be placed and maintained under increased tension, increasing the force with which the screen plate is pulled and held down against the screen frame.

The reenforcing and stiffening frames are not necessary for screen plates made of heavy stock, and with these the eyes 34 for the hook ends of the. rods I0 may be welded or otherwise secured directly to the under side of the heavy plates 35.

With either light or heavy stock plates, eyes, such as 36, may be secured to the plates in a central or other intermediate location, and for such location of the eyes, one or more suitable notched keeper members 31 having keeper notches 38 may be secured to the side rails 25 of the screen frame intermediate the spreader angles 23, and an extended saddle or chair plate 39 provided, extending between and having end flanges 40 secured to two spreader angles, whereby the saddle bar 39 is supported.

It is understood that the eyes, saddles and keepers for the fastening rods may be provided in any number and in any locations desired, and the number and locations may be chosen for the most convenient access and manipulation of the rods to attach and to change the plates.

To fasten a plate to the screen frame it is only necessary for a person to engage the hook end or ends of the rod with the eye member or members, place the rod against the saddle member and then flex the rod and engage its outer end in the notch of the keeper member, and if desired, place. the

rod under greater tension by screwing up the nut on the end of the rod. All this can be done conveniently by a person outside of the screen and the person is not required to crawl between a pair of decks to engage or to disengage the rod. The fastening and unfastening of the rods may be done very quickly, simply, and conveniently, resulting in the saving of much time and labor and conserving the operating time of the machine and increasing production. As shown, the rods having the two hooks may engage two adjacent screen plates. Other advantages and improvements will be apparent to those familiar with vibrating and shaking screens and with the application and changing of the plates thereof.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and as many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is understood that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The term screen plate as used in the claims is to be understood as including not only perforated or slotted plates, but also screen surfaces formed of wire mesh or other relatively light or flexible material of any of the types commonly used in shaking and vibrating screens.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a supporting frame and a screen plate on the frame, of a device for fastening the plate in place on said frame, said device including a resilient, elongated fastening member, means for attaching the fastening member to the screen plate and to the frame at points spaced along the length of the. fastening member, and means engaging said member intermediate said spaced points when said member is attached to the plate and frame, to place and maintain the fastening member under resilient flexure, whereby the plate is urged against the supporting frame.

2. The combination with a supporting frame and a screen plate on the frame, of a resilient fastening rod for the plate, attaching means on the plate and frame adapted to receive the ends of the fastening rod, and means for flexing said rod away from said plate intermediate its ends, whereby the rod is placed and held under flexure and the plate is urged against the frame by the resilient pull of the rod.

3. The combination with a supporting frame and a screen plate on the frame, of a saddle member secured to the frame beneath its plate-receiving surface, and a resilient fastening rod for the plate having a curved end adapted to be connected to the screen plate from below and its other end adapted to be connected with the frame and to be flexed about the saddle member, whereby the rod is placed and held under flexure and the plate is held in place on the frame by the resilient pull of the rod.

4. The combination with a supporting frame and a screen plate on the frame, of a device for fastening the plate in place on the frame and including, a resilient fastening rod, means for attaching one end of the rod to the screen plate from below, means for attaching the other end of the rod to the supporting frame, and means engaging the rod intermediate its ends for placing and holding the rod under flexure away from the plate when attached to the plate and frame, whereby the plate is urged against the frame by the resilient pull of the rod.

5. The combination with a supporting frame and a screen plate on the frame, of a device for fastening the plate in place on the frame and including, a resilient fastening rod, means for attaching one end of the rod to the screen plate from below, means for attaching the other end of the rod to the supporting frame, means engaging the rod intermediate its ends for placing and holding the rod under flexure away from the plate when attached to the plate and frame, whereby the plate is urged against the frame by the resilient pull of the rod, and means engaging said rod for drawing the rod longitudinally when so connected and flexed, to place and hold the rod under increased tension and the plate held down more tightly on the frame.

6. The combination with a supporting frame and a screen plate on the frame, of a resilient fastening rod for the plate having a curved end terminating in a connecting hook, an eye member secured to the under side of the screen plate and adapted to receive said hook, a keeper member having a notch adapted to receive the other end of the fastening rod and secured to the frame, and a saddle abutting upwardly against the frame, the hook end of said rod being engageable with said eye member and the rod adapted to be flexed about said saddle and its other end engaged in the notch of the keeper member,

whereby the rod is placed and held under flexure and the plate held down on the frame.

7. The combination with a supporting frame and a screen plate on the frame, of a resilient fastening rod for the plate and having a curved end terminating in a connecting hook, an eye member secured to the under side of the screen plate and adapted to receive said hook, a keeper member having a notch adapted to receive the other end of the fastening rod and secured to the frame, and a saddle abutting upwardly against the frame, the hook end of said rod being engageable with said eye member and the rod adapted to be flexed about said saddle and its other end engaged in the notch of the keeper member, whereby the rod is placed and held under flexure and the plate held down on the frame, said other end of the rod projecting through said keeper member and being threaded, and a nut on said threaded portion bearing against the keeper member, whereby the rod may be drawn longitudinally and the tension of the rod increased.

8. The combination with a supporting frame and a screen plate on the frame, of a resilient fastening rod for the plate and having a curved end terminating in a connecting hook, an eye member secured to the under side of the screen plate and adapted to receive said hook, a keeper member having a notch adapted to receive the other end of the fastening rod and secured to the frame, and a saddle abutting upwardly against the frame, the hook end of said rod being engageable with said eye member and the rod adapted to be flexed about said saddle and its other end engaged in the notch of the keeper member, whereby the rod is placed and held under fiexure and the plate held down on the frame, said saddle comprising a V-shaped member having the upper ends of the arms abutting upwardly against and secured to a spreader angle of the supporting frame.

9. The combination with a supporting frame and a screen plate on the frame, of a resilient fastening rod for the plate and having a curved end terminating in a connecting hook, an eye member secured to the under side of the screen plate and adapted to receive said hook, a keeper member having a notch adapted to receive the other end of the fastening rod and secured to the frame, and a saddle abutting upwardly against the frame, the hook end of said rod being engageable with said eye member and the rod adapted to be flexed about said saddle and its other end engaged in the notch of the keeper member, whereby the rod is placed and held under fiexure and the plate held down on the frame, said saddle comprising a single-Web bar extending longitudinally between and having its opposite ends secured to a pair of spaced spreader angles of the supporting frame.

10. The combination with a supporting frame having a spreader angle and two screen plates on the frame, the plates having adjacent edges meeting along said spreader angle, of a fastening device for said plates and including a resilient rod having one end curved and having two arms spreading to opposite sides of said spreader angle, a keeper for the opposite end of the rod and secured to the frame, a saddle secured to the spreader angle intermediate the ends of the rod, and an eye secured to the under surface of each plate and each adapted to be engaged by the hook on the adjacent rod arm, the said hooks being engaged with said eyes and the rod flexed about said saddle and the end of the rod engaged in said keeper, whereby said rod is placed and held under fiexure and both said plates are held down on the supporting frame.

DANIEL M. BLACKBURN. 

